Rhampsinitos

The Greek form of Rameses Ill., the richest of the
Egyptian king, who amassed seventy-seven millions sterling, which he
secured in a treasury of stone, but by an artifice of the builder he
was robbed every night.

Herodotos (bk. ii. chap. 121) tells us that two brothers were the
architects of the treasury, and that they placed in the wall a
removable stone, through which they crept every night to purloin the
store. The king, after a time, noticed the diminution, and set a trap
to catch the thieves. One of the brothers was caught in the trap, but
the other brother, to prevent detection, cut off his head and made good
his escape.

This tale is almost identical with that of Trophonios, told by
Pausanias. Hyrieus (3 syl.) a Boeotian king employed Trophonios and his
brother to build him a treasury. In so doing they also contrived to
place in the wall a removable stone, through which they crept nightly
to purloin the king's stores. Hyrieus also set a trap to catch the
thief, and one of the brothers was caught; but Trophonios cut off his
head to prevent detection, and made good his escape. There cannot be a
doubt that the two tales are in reality one and the same.